First Alert Forecast: Tropical Storm Moke should stay south of us

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast for Tropical Storm Moke has it passing south of the islands this weekend, farther south that Lala did. Moke will also be a weaker storm compared to Lala with winds of 50-60 mph as it makes its closest approach.

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While that’s certainly good news, we know from Lala and other storm experience that Moke will be close enough to bring heavy showers to Hawaii Island along with strong winds, particularly in upslope areas and higher terrain.

Here are some key messages about Moke from the National Hurricane Center…

WIND: Gusty winds are likely on the Big Island of Hawaii this weekend, especially in areas of high terrain.

RAINFALL: Moke is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10inches with maximum amounts of 15 inches across the Big Island. Rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches with maximum amounts of 4 inches are expected on eastern Maui. For the remainder of the islands, 1 to 2 inches of rain are possible. This rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides for the windward and southeast Big Island, especially in steep terrain and over areas that were affected recently by Lala.

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SURF: Swells generated by the storm are expected to affect portions of the Hawaiian Islands this weekend and into early next week. These swells may cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Stay with your First Alert Weather Station for the very latest information on-air, on-line, and on your mobile device.

View the latest weather conditions here.

Download the HNN Weather app from the Apple App Store or Google Play for the latest updates from your First Alert Weather Team: chief meteorologist Jennifer Robbins and weather anchors Guy Hagi, Dan Cooke, Ben Gutierrez, and Billy V.

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